Machine for boxing toothpicks.



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G. vI. STANLEY & W. W. & S. S. TAINTER. MACHINE POR BOXING TOOTHPIOKS. APPLIoATIoN FILED N ov.17, 190s.

Patent-.ea Nov. 17, 1908.

3` SHEETS-SHEET .2.

UNITED sTATns PATENT orrIon.

P. STANLEY, WILLIS W. TAINTER, AND SIMON S. TAINTER, OFDIXFIELD, MAINE.

MACHINE FOR BOXING TOOTHPICKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 190s.

Application 4led November 17, 1906. Serial No. 348,889.

To all'whom fit 'may concern."

Be 1t known that we, GEORGE P. STANLEY, YILLIS W. TAINTER and SIMON S. TAINTER, `citizens of the United States, residing. yat Dixeld, countyof Oxford, State of Maine, have Invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Boxing Toothpicks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompan ing drawings.

y Woo en tooth picks are usually sold in small boxes containing fromone hundred to live-hundred picks. These boxes are filled by hand, so far as knownto us, and the labor of filling them is a relatively largeA item of expense in a. tooth pick factory.

Our invention has for its object to provide a machine which will receive the picks from the tumbling apparatus in which they are CII finished and; will deliver them into the boxes in which they are sold, the mechanism-being Vsuch, that the machine will deliver'to each box the number of tooth picks re uired to liill .Itlhe box, whether'the box be arge or sma The machine consists of a series of con- 'nect'ed and coperating mechanism, all arranged and operating as will be hereinafter" y embodying our invention.. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 8 is a detail of the partitioned-passage through which the picks pass on the way to theboX and showingthe mechanism for operating the movable partitions. Fig. 4 is a side elevation and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the conveyer mechanism which receives the picks from the chute leading from the hopper and serves to lcarry them to and deliver` them into the partitioned-passage. Fig. 6 is aperspective showin the hop er with the barred or slattedgoottom. ig. 7 is a detail in perspective of a ortion of the eonveyer showingrtwo of t e buckets. Fig. 8 shows a .modication of thelower end of the slatted passa way.

Re erring to the drawings A is'the -ho per in whichthe icks are placed after they ave been tumble or otherwise finished, and are ready to be packed in the boxes m which in the chute is more readil/y they are sold.` The hopper A is provided with a barred or slatted bottom formed as shown Fig. 6, with openings between the adjacent bars. The bars are placed so' that portions of them, for example those that are designated 1 in Fig. 6, are placed at right 'angles to other portions of them, such as are designated 2 in Fig. 6. construction is-to provide a series of parallel slits or openings through which vindividual picks in the hopper may fall, .and to have these slits-some of them, at right vangles to' others so that the picks which lie inall positions in the mass 1n the ho per may each, be given an opportunity to rop throu h the ottom thereof.v The hopper is sha en :or agitated laterally or vertically or both by any suitable mechanism,

At Fig. 2 a simple forni of mechanism for accomplishing the llateral r'eciprocation of the hopper is shown. This consists of -a shaft 80 which is driven by 'suitable means, not shown, and which is proyided .with a crank arm 31 to which is pivot'ed one end of al connecting rod 32, the other end of which ispivoted to a 4slide block 33 which may be iiridly secured to the end of the hopper A. T e said slide block 33 'fs arranged to slide in ways 34, 35'as will be clear. ',As the shaftBO rcvolves`the hopper will be reciprocated. As will be obviousany well known form of mechanism for effecting the agitation of the hopper may be employed.

The individual picks which are placed in a-disordered mass in the hopper will, as the latter is agitated, drop through onto the slide'or chute B down which they passl to the buckets of the conveyer C. The chute B .is corrugated in "cross section as shown Fig. l, so as'to forni' a number of valleys 4,'

which are separated by corresponding ridges 5 having sloping sides 6. The tooth picks falling through the slotted bottoni .of the l hopper A quickly assume a position lengthwise of the chute l5 in the valleys 4' thereof and thence slide downwardly into the buckets 3 of the conveyer C. The said ridges 5- and valleys t converge or grow-narrower toward the lower end of the chute', as seen` in the drawings, and particularly in Fig. 1`

so thatthestream of tooth picks containedy delivered tothe buckets of the conveyer thenu'mber of ickswhich dr frmthe hopper-and are ischarged into t e conveyer y By regulating' the speed ofthe conveyer with referenceto' The object of this i 1 61 of leather or other suitable ieXible ma-v terial, provided with buckets' (see Fig. 7)

` which consist of a base piece 62 riveted ont one side only to the belt 61 as shown at 63 so that the buckets may pass around the wheelslO safely and a V-sha'ped bucket composed of two leaves 64 and 65 preferably made integral with the base piece 62 or soldered thereto. The angle at which'the two leaves 64 and 65 are inclined to the base 62 is such that the top edgs of the adjacent leaves of two adjacent buckets just touch each other when the portion of the belt to which the buckets are attached is in a straight line so that it is not possible for a tooth pick to fall between the-buckets. Side pieces or wings 7 and 8 (see Fig. 5.) are provided which cover the ends of the buck? ets of the conveyer which are passing the delivery end of the chute B and serve to prevent the picks which come from said chute from passing beyond and out of the buckets. These wings or side pieces 7 and 8 are preferably made flaring, as shown in the tops-'of thev buckets.

driven in any suitablemanner.

Fig. 5, thus projecting beyond the ends of the buckets, wing 7 extending on a level with the tops of the buckets while wing 8 to which the chute is attached projects slightly above The flare of the said wings or side pieces allows'a `greater latitude for delivering the pick to the buckets so that the end of the pick may project beyond the bucket at the point where the pick enters the bucket from the chute B. The continued movement of the conveyer,

however in the direction of the arrow Fig.

5 serves to bring the ends of the projecting picks in contact with the wings or side pieces 7 and 8 and the flare of the said side pieces 'operates as the buckets are carried along by the conveyer to force the picks inwardly on to the conveyer land place them all evenly in the buckets of the conveyer. v

Vile provide at D a rotary brush j ournaled in -uprights 9 on the sides 7 and 8 at the point where the conveyer belt begins to turn downwardly around the pulley 10. The brush D is rotated by any, suitable means, as for example, by a belt 11, Figs. 4 and 5, which passes. ar und a pulley 12 fast on a projecting'end yof the conveyer shaftl,

which carries the conveyer pulley 10.

,The shaft 13 may as will be clear,.be

The rotation of thebru'sh D' serves t'o brush backwardly vanynexcess of picks so that each bucket 3 as it passes under the brush Dwill be evenfull. After passing the brush D the bucket goesunder thehousing or guard 16 which prevents the picks from leaving the buckets of the conveyer until the buckets arrive at the point 17 when the pickscontained therein drop into the partitioned pasisage E.

The passage E is preferably rectangular in cross section and of a suficient size to permit the picks to drop sidewise therethrugh. AIt is alsov preferably placed verticallyl so that the picks may fall or pass through the same by gravity. l vlo'separate the picks and keep them from bunching or massing or falling end on, a number of sloping staggered partitions 'or slats` 18,are secured in thejsaid passage E. The lower edges of these slats 18 overalp-each 30 other slightly so that the picks asthey drop strike and rest momentarily as they fall from one` to another of these partitions, and are thus 'separated and maintained in a hor-" zontal position and areprevented fronrdropping endwise. A j To insure against the clogging of the picks in the passage E, a series ofthe partitions at one side'of the said passage are pivbted; the

9() These partitions are'pivoted in substantially the same manner as are the slats of a'window shutter, and are connected by a hookv and eye or similar slat connection at their-outer edges with a vertical rod 20-which is provided at its lower end wit-han eccentric 21 set cna shaft 22 so that as the shaft revolves the slats 19 are caused to move or to reciproca-te and. thus clogging ofthe picks in the passageway v E is prevented. From the partitions or slatted passageway E thel picks pass Aintov a lsmaller chute or passageway Gr, which is .of

a width slightly in excess ofthe lengthof the pickv and which is open centrally, aS shown at 23, Fig. 3, for substantiallythe 105 whole of itslength below the end of the slatted passageway.- The passageway Gr is also curved to correspond with the curvefof a portion of the measuring wheel H, as shown at 24, Fig. 1. The measuring wheel 11.0 H consists of a wheel having projecting fins or blades 25 set on the periphery thereof. These blades are relatively thin and sharp at Y their outer edges so that as the wheel H revolves in the direction indicated 'by the 115 i arrow, Fig. 1,v the blades 25 will project through the slot 23 into themass of tooth' picks which are in the passageway G and will thus separate the tooth picks which are in the said 'passageway into masses contain- 120 ing any requlred number. If for example the boxes to be filled are to contain say 1000 tooth picks, the blades 25 will be set with `reference to each other on the periphery of the? wheel 'H' so that the space of the passageway G be- 125 tween the two adjacent blades will contain 1000 tooth picks. As willbe clear by varyin'g the space between adj acent' blades 25, the tooth picks in the r'passageway G may be divided into masses of any required size con` 130 v number of picks has been separated inthe passageway'G :by vthe blades 25,v the continued inove'ment of the measuring wheel will cause the lower or forward blade to pass out of the passageway Gr, thus permitting the 1o tooth picks that are behind v the said blade and that are in front of the succeeding blade to drop through 'the lower vportion 'of the -passagewa G which delivers '.the picks t0 ,that one o thelboxe's J which, at the moment, 15 is directly beneath the lower end of the said passageway. The lower end of the chute or` passageway Gr' rojects preferably sli htl l' belowthe top oiJtlie box J so that the iicks will be delivered into the box with certainty. 2e' As the boxesare placedepd to end on the conveyer K- it is necessary before the adja: cent ends f two boxes reach the lower end -of the passage or chute G that they should be dipped downwardly'in order that they ma not collide with the lower end of the sai chute or passageway. This is effected by means of a series of projections 27 which are secured to and-project beyond the edges of .thexconveyer,K; By causing these proposite the end of the chute G the ends ofthe boxes-fare carried' downwardly and are revent'ed from colliding with lthe lower en of After the 4box'esvhave beenthe said chute.` filled with tooth picks," they are taken from the conveyer by anattendant operare and closed and secured, and' are then ready for shi ment..k y

he -lower end 36 ofthe passageway or chute G mayI be formed from flexible material, such as leather or cloth or fabric,.and thus there willabe no necessity of dipping .the boxes downwardly by means of the cam =55. Inu place of the blades 25, prongs or pointed projecting pins may be em loyed, two or more of said pins bemg used 1n place of each of the blades 25.

What we claim is;

1. In a machine for boxin tooth picks, kthe combination with means' or separating the picks from a mass, means for causing the separated picks t'o assume a position arallel.

with each otherand delivering them mto the 05' buckets' of a conveyer mechanism, a conlthe combination with means jections to travel under a cam 28 located op.

Veyer mechanism and: a chute` or passed, way connecting with "said conveyer mechanism and from which the picks are discharged into the box to be filled.

' .2. vInt a ifxiachinel forboxin tooth picks, 70 the combination with means or separating the picks from a mass, means for causing `th'e iseparated'picks to assume a position parallel with each other and delivering them into the-buckets of aA-conveyer mechanism, a 75 conveyer mechanism, a chute or passageway connecting therewith and a measuring device coperating with said'chute or passageway whereby `the picks-in said4 passageway artJ separated into masses each of which is sufi'i- 80 cient to fill a box of a predetermined size. 3.*In a .machine for boxing tooth picks, or separating the picks from a mass, means for causing the se arated picks to assume a position g5 paralle with each other anddelivering them "into the buckets of a conveyer mechanism, a

conveyer mechanism, a slatted chuteor passageway into vwhich the f picks are received as they are discharged om the conveyer 9o mechanism and fromwhich they are delivered to a chute which in turn delivers them tothe boxes'to be filled.

Al. In a machine for boxin vtooth picks, the combination with means or separating the picks from a mass, means for causing the se arated Ipicks to assume a. position paralle with each other and delivering them into the buckets of a conveyer mechanism, a

conveyer mechanism, a -slattedchute or p assageway into which the picks are received as they arerdischarged from the conveyer mechanism and from which they are delivered to a chute which in turn delivers them to the boxes to be filled, said slatted chute or passageway having aportion of the slats therein movable.

5. In a machine for boxing tooth picks, a hopper having a bottom provided with a plurality of elongated slots paralled with each other, each f sufficient width to allow the widthwise passage of individual tooth picks, and another plurality of similar slots at right angles with the first set of slots and in the same plane therewith.

6. In a machine for boxing tooth picks, a hopper having a bottom provided. with a plurality of elongated slots parallel with each other, each of suicient width to allow the widthwise passage of individual tooth picks, another plurality of similar independent slots at ri ht angles with the first set of slots and in t e same plane therewith, and means for agitating the hopper.

7. In a machine for boxing tooth picks, the improved device for maintaining the picks in..aparal1el condition comprising a 4vertical 'passageway vprovided with oblique staggcred'slats slanting towards each other.

8. In a machine `for boxing tooth picks,

the improved device for maintaining the picks in a parallel condition comprislng a vertical passagewayrprovided with oblique staggered slats slanting towards each other, 2i-.pivots for some of s'aid slats, and moving means to cause some of said slats to'oscillate abgut said pivots.

The boxing machine for tooth'picks` comprising a hopper, a chute converging llgytoward its delivery end, a conveyer provided with buckets and slatted passageway.

- 10. boxing schine for tooth 4picks come f prising a hopper, chute converging towardv 'its delivery end, a conveyer provideda-with 'l-15 buckets, a slatted passageway, and a measuring device.

. lil. In a machine for boxingtooth picks, a hopper having a bottom provided -with a plurality of elongated 4slots parallel .with

each other, each of suilicient width to allow 20 the widthwise 4passage of individual tooth picks, another plurality of similar independent slots at right angles with the first set of slots and in the same' plane therewith, means for agitating the hopper, means for causing 25 the tooth picks to assume a position parallel with each other after they havev passed through said slots" and means for conveying'. them to boxes., v c

Intestimony whereof we aiix' our' signa' 30 tures, in presence of two witnesses. p GEORGE P. STANLEY. WILLIS W. TAINTER. SIMON S. TAINTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. TRASK, WILLIAM A. MAoLnoD. 

